Xuanyuan Hao gradually got used to the heavy feeling on his neck. His hands naturally fell to his sides, and he sighed softly, "What use would I have for the Imperial Seal? This throne is nothing more than a constraint on my steps, trapping me in a cage. If the girl Liuli had come to me for the Imperial Seal, I would have given it to her. But you... are not the girl Liuli I remember."
Liuli said in a deep voice, "What do you want in return for handing over the imperial seal?"
A look of reminiscence appeared on Xuan Yuanhao's face. He slightly curved his lips and changed the subject, saying with a smile, "Does the young lady still remember the day we first met?"
Liuli pondered for a moment, knowing that forcibly taking it wouldn't work. She pursed her lips and patiently replied, "I remember, it was one winter, in the plum grove in the back garden of your Jade Prince's Mansion. You said you would paint a portrait of me, and I still remember that painting. I think I threw it into the guest courtyard of the Grand Commandant's Mansion."
Xuan Yuanhao's eyes lost focus, and he said softly, "Yes, it was the winter of the fifth year of Chongde. I remember it was snowing that day. Yi Han and I were drinking wine in the pavilion when you fell from the sky and landed in the plum grove."
"I still remember what I thought at that time. I thought that this girl was as pure and lovely as a piece of clear and clean jade. If she could become my wife, I would ask for nothing more."
Xuan Yuanhao focused his gaze, looking tenderly at Liuli, and said gently, "But later I realized that you are no ordinary person, and you are not from the same world as me. To me, you are just a dream that I can never have, like a flower in a mirror or the moon in the water, something I can only long for but never obtain."
"Years have passed, and I ask for nothing more than to see you one more time and tell you in person that I... like you very much."
Liuli's cold gaze softened slightly. She could see that Xuanyuan Hao's words were sincere, and the gentleness in his eyes was still faintly reminiscent of her memories. She had always known him to be a gentle and refined man, but she hadn't expected that after all these years, he would still be so gentle, his heart untouched by any worldly dust. His heart must be so pure, containing only black and white, utterly devoid of any cunning.
Liuli waved her hand at him from afar, and the black whip shadow on his neck instantly disappeared.
Xuan Yuanhao felt a surge of relief as he breathed a sigh of relief. He coughed twice and asked in confusion, "It's been so many years. I wonder what you've been through to become the way you are now?"
A genuine concern appeared on Xuan Yuanhao's face. That expression gave Liuli a feeling that she could tell him everything, and that after hearing her sad story, he would only feel sorry for her and not laugh at her.
Liuli felt an unprecedented sense of ease. At this moment, Xuanyuan Hao felt like an old friend she hadn't seen for many years, an old friend with whom she could confide everything.
“I…” Liuli’s expression softened a bit, and she said gently, “I have been through a lot.”
"Would you like to talk to me about it, young lady?" Xuan Yuanhao said gently. "Over the years, as the emperor, I have had many worries. Every time Yi Han comes to see me, I talk to him about them, and I feel much more at ease afterward."
Liuli hesitated for a while, then finally nodded and said, "Okay."
Xuan Yuanhao smiled gently and led Liuli to sit down opposite him on two chairs. Between the two chairs, there was a small table. Xuan Yuanhao poured two cups of warm tea and handed one to Liuli.
Liuli held the teacup in both hands, the warmth spreading from her palms to her heart. She lowered her eyes to look at the steam rising from the teacup, and slowly opened her mouth, pouring out all the sorrow and hatred in her heart.
She kindly tried to save Shi Chan, but he killed her out of resentment. The blood feud stemmed from the massacre of the Nine-Tailed Fox clan. She had lived in the Demon Realm for over twenty years, enduring endless ridicule and disdain. In that dog-eat-dog world, where no compassion existed, her mind was constantly on edge…
As she spoke, her voice grew very low, and she slowly said, "These past years, I've really... been so tired."
Xuan Yuanhao listened quietly to Liuli's outpouring, occasionally offering a gentle response. Now that Liuli had finished speaking, he gently patted her frail back and said softly, "Everything will be alright, it will be alright..."
This slap made Xuan Yuanhao feel even more sorry for Liuli; her spine was bony and she was far too thin.
As Xuan Yuanhao said, Liu Li felt much lighter after telling him everything. She put down the tea she hadn't drunk, let out a soft sigh, turned to look at Xuan Yuanhao, and said very earnestly, "Xuan Yuanhao, thank you."
Liuli was completely unaware, but Xuanyuan Hao truly awakened one of the beautiful feelings in her heart, a feeling called friendship.
“Miss.” Xuan Yuanhao tilted his head to look at Liuli and said with a smile, “I’ve heard you mention a monk named Shi Chan many times. You said you hated him to the core, but why do I hear that you still like him?”
"How could this be?" A hint of anger appeared on Liuli's face. She gritted her teeth and said, "I hate him. I will definitely kill him, I definitely will!"
Xuanyuan Hao smiled and shook his head, not saying anything more.
"By the way," Xuan Yuanhao asked in confusion, "what does the young lady need the Imperial Seal for?"
Liuli replied, "The Imperial Seal is merely a symbol in your hands, but to me, it can become a powerful weapon."
"Alright then." Xuan Yuanhao stood up with a smile and said, "Please wait a moment, young lady, I'll go get the jade seal."
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
